This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
As is commonly known, pickup trucks can be used for a wide variety of applications, such as off-road applications, construction, hauling, towing, and the like. Similarly, pickup trucks tend to be used with a similar wide variety of accessories that are particularly suited for one or more of these unique applications. These accessories often include tool boxes, cargo boxes, coolers, or other storage items.
In some cases, such as mounted tool or cargo boxes, these items are nearly permanently affixed in the bed of the pickup truck, most often near the passenger cabin. These mounted tool or cargo boxes consume a substantial volume of the pickup bed and are generally difficult to install and remove. Therefore, typically, once a tool or cargo box is installed in the pickup bed, they are rarely removed.
In other cases, such accessories are loosely mounted in the pickup bed and, thus, have the potential to slide or otherwise move within the pickup bed during travel. Of course these accessories can be tethered to a mounting cleat or tiedown in the pickup bed, but unfortunately such tethering is cumbersome and often results in the accessory being mounted in a less than ideal position within the pickup bed.
Finally, in light of the current leasing programs and short term ownership of many pickup trucks, owners desire methods of accessorizing their pickup trucks without causing permanent damage to the vehicle. By maintaining in the pickup truck in a condition as close to as-new, the owner is less likely of being assessed damage fees or reduced valuation.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a universal mounting system for mounting accessories within a pickup bed to permits use in a wide variety of applications. Moreover, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a universal mounting system that can be used in connection with a wide variety of accessories. Still further, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a universal mounting system that is capable of mounting the accessories in a conducive and accessible position in the pickup bed. Moreover, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a universal mounting system that is capable of being used to reliably retaining accessories in the pickup bed without causing permanent damage or requiring permanent modification of the pickup bed. Finally, there exists a need in the relevant art to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.